


The Devil Next Door

by JaiNess



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Don't Judge Me, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-18 02:50:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5895169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaiNess/pseuds/JaiNess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Damon Salvatore has moved to Starling City to get away from life in Mystic Falls after Elena chose Stefan. Felicity is trying to wade through the sea of mixed signals from one broody vigilante, Oliver Queen.  Oh look, they're neighbors! Wonder what's going to happen when sinister vampire meets IT genius? Damon x Felicity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Devil Next Door

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, this was something that I thought would be fun to write out. I am an amateure, and have no idea what I am doing. I have a basic plot thought out, but I am open to suggestions, prompts, and in serious need of a beta. I would love a collaborator! Please message me.

“Oh for the love of Jiminy Cricket!” The slamming of the refrigerator door knocked a magnet off its front, but the plastic kitten seemed to have made it in once piece as it skidded across the floor. Felicity really didn’t want to deal with this right now. She had had a really bad day at Queen Consolidated, a really really bad night tracking the Triad through the wee hours of the morning with a grumpy vigilante, gotten two hours’ sleep and had one before she was due back as Oliver’s perky EA. And she was out of milk. Just kill her now.

 

Blowing an errant wisp of hair out of her face, she glanced out the kitchen’s east window. Her eyes widened in thought as she recalled the moving van that had been in and out of the next door townhouse the past week. A new neighbor!

 

“That’s it! I’ll go ask for a cup. Cuz that’s not weird, meeting your new neighbor at 7am needing a cup or milk and explaining that you might just lose it if you didn’t have any, just ‘Hi! Welcome to the neighborhood, I might blow up my house if you don’t give me bovine extract right now.’ This is a bad idea. But I think I’m going to kick puppies today if I don’t get my caffeine on. Ugh!”

 

After taking a deep breath (or five), Felicity wrapped her fuzzy bathrobe around her tshirt and pajama bottoms, and exited her back door.  Fifteen steps later she rang the doorbell, favorite penguin mug twitching between her fingers.

 

“Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. I’m not even dressed for heaven’s sake! I can just imagine the-”

 

She heard a voice calling to come around the back. Freezing, the blonde had a mini panic about what she was really doing. Then her brain kicked in, its demand for coffee overriding her shyness and she turned back in between the two houses to walk towards the back.

 

“Hi, I’m your new neighbor, well, of course I’m new, you just moved in, and I’m sorry to bother you so early, but I seemed to have run out of **OH MY GOD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?** ” the crash of her coffee mug accentuated her scream, her hands flying to cover her wide eyes. There on the back patio was a naked man. Naked! What on God’s green earth is a man doing naked at 7am in the morning, yelling out for people to drop by?

 

“You did ring my bell first, you know,” came the amused voice of said nude male.  

 

Realising she had said that last bit out loud, Felicity counted to three then opened her eyes. And shut them just as quick.

 

“Yep, still naked.” The man smirked, as if he could read her mind.

 

“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” she turned around so her back was towards the man. “I just wanted to know if you had some milk I could borrow, well, not borrow, because that would imply that I would bring it back, and that wouldn’t be possible, and why would you yell for me to come back here if you have no clothes on!? Not that it’s a bad sight, I mean you should be proud with that...um...I’m going to stop, now…”

 

A deep chuckle rumbled from behind her, and she heard the shifting of fabric before he spoke again. “Alright, blondie, the show’s over. You can turn around now.”  Felicity slowly turned to face the cause of her rapid heartbeat and pink cheeks.  Standing with arms crossed over his impressive still-bare chest stood a tall, dark haired man that could have been carved from marble.  His black hair was just long enough to curl around his ears, framing a square jaw and defined cheekbones. His clear, ice blue eyes seemed to stare straight into her soul. His skin looked to be made of alabaster, stretched over lean muscle that she thought could give Oliver a run for his money. And he was only wearing a towel draped dangerously low on his sinfully defined hips, .

 

Wetting her lips, she asked “Why…?” before losing focus, tracing line after line of definition along his torso, following the darkening trail of trimmed hair that disappeared beneath the towel. _He was an impressive sight, indeed_.  His abs started shaking, which brought her mind back into real time, and she realized he was laughing at her. Oh, that made her blush turn into a deeper shade.

 

Cutting her off as she opened her mouth again, the man answered her earlier question. “First, hello, nice to meet you, I’m Damien Sylvester. I just moved in this weekend. Lovely to meet you! Second, you’re on my property, I can be naked if I want. Third, you wanted to know where I was this early in the morning, not my fault that you interrupted my free warrior pose.”

 

Felicity was at a loss for words. He had a point, a couple, actually. She was the one blundering around at odd hours on other people’s homes. Her shoulders slumped. This was too much to deal with without her morning java.

 

“I’m sorry to have interrupted your….sun salutations,” she began, eyes finding the shards that was once her favorite coffee mug in the grass. “I’m out of milk and was desperate for a cup to go with my coffee. I didn’t set out to be your peeping tom of the day, even if it was worth the look.” Realizing she said the latter sentence out loud, Felicity groaned then dropped to her knees to begin gathering the broken cup. Muttering to herself, trying to ignore the approaching footsteps, she wasn’t concentrating on the sharp edges of the pottery and hissed when she felt a slice on her left index finger. Sliding the injured finger into her mouth, she was startled when two hands joined hers, serious blue eyes staring into hers from two feet away.

 

“Can I see?” he asked gently, tugging her finger from her lips. Taking the answering grunt/groan that came from the blonde as a yes, Damien gently traced below the small cut.

 

“It’s just a scratch, a bandaid for a day or two and you’re set,” he finished with a smile. _Oh, what nice teeth he had!_

 

“All the better to bite you with, my dear?” He cocked his head to the side, a smirk curving his lips. “Anything else you’d like to comment on? I can be here all day,” he winked.

 

Felicity wanted the earth to swallow her up. One of these days she would get her thoughts-to-mouth filter fixed. Brushing off her knees, she stood and Damien mirrored her.

 

“I’m sorry, I have an issue where I say things that I think and I don’t realize it. It gets awkward really fast. Can we start over?” She thrust her uninjured hand towards the new guy. “Felicity Smoak. Owner of townhouse 214 as of last year. Desperate caffeine addict. Welcome to the neighborhood, don’t expect a reciprocation of your welcome on my side.”

 

His laugh sent flutters to her stomach as he shook her hand. “Aww, what a bummer. I was hoping for equal hospitality,” he winked again. “Damien, as I said before. Owner of 215 as of last week. Also the lender of milk to neighbors in distress. Are you sure you aren’t looking for any sugar, instead?” His tongue darted out to lick his lower lip, causing a blush for an altogether different reason to redden the girl’s cheeks. Oh, this guy was naughty, and he knew it.

 

“Just the milk, th-thanks,” she stuttered. “I’ll let you know if I need anything sweet and tempting  in the future. Oh eff me, three, two, one….”

 

“I like you, Felicity Smoak. I have a feeling that this is the start of a beautiful neighborship,” the black haired man nodded and turned towards his back door. “I’ll be right back.”

 

Felicity slapped her hand against her forehead as soon as Muscles-For-Days disappeared into his house. She honestly couldn’t decide which first impression was in who’s favor that morning.

 

+++++++

 

Damon couldn’t believe his good luck. Finally, the Powers That Be deemed him worthy of a little good fortune after all the shit he’s been through as of late. Even if it was mostly due to his own makings. That shouldn’t count against a guy, right? _Whatever._

 

His move to Starling City had been a random decision. It placed him on the opposite side of the country from Mystic Falls, far from his past with bad romance, brother, and big baddies trouble.  It was a faster paced city life compared to the small town in Virginia. A place where he could be swallowed up by the never sleeping metropolis. Wasn’t as touristy as Las Vegas, a bit more condensed than Central, plus it was close to LA. Sure, it had its slums and criminal activity, high rises and social elite royalty, but he’d take it. He didn’t have much to be worried about.

 

Damon had done his homework, too. After scouting out the layout of the city, noting where the hospitals were, the trains, the shady areas, the busiest streets, he settled for a suburb 10 minutes from downtown. He bought the three bedroom/two bath end unit townhouse before ever stepping foot inside. He figured he could always move it if wasn’t up to his taste; however, he was surprisingly pleased by its simplicity and spacious rooms. The yard was a bonus, too. Maybe he’d get a cat.

 

Damon noticed his next door neighbor the night he settled in. A red mini cooper sped its way into the driveway next to his, braking abruptly to avoid hitting the garage door. It was odd that a young woman should be coming home, alone, at 3am in the morning in office attire.  He watched as the girl cursed as she dropped her purse while juggling a tablet and her phone, keys in hand. He would be honest; his first thought was how she would make an easy meal. Single, alone, nighttime? Piece of cake. He grew curious, however, as the girl swung her blonde ponytail over her shoulder, phone and tablet stashed in her bag, and continued a dialog to herself including colorful language and berating herself for talking to herself in the first place. She was short - much shorter than his usual type, petite, even. She wore dark-framed glasses that complimented her bright blue eyes as she cursed the inventor of deadbolts as she struggled to unlock her front door. Might be fun to get to know this one, before he ate her.

 

He observed the near-same routine carry on for three more nights.

 

Felicity slipped further down his potential victim list the day she bungled into his yard as he was practicing his yoga, au-natural. The look of shock on her face was hilarious - made even better with her verbal cascade of narration and innuendo complementing his morning exercise form. Damon took in her morning attire: fluffy pink robe worn over a ratty tshirt, flamingo print pj pants and bare feet.  Her hair was piled on top of her head in that bun style that he could never figure out how girls made it look like a messy masterpiece. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke without guile, earnest in her words even to her dismay.  Plus, it was nice to be ogled, truth be told. Not that he didn’t play his nudity up a bit to his advantage. _Not him._

 

Yes, he felt lucky. This was going to be a good place to start over.

 

+++++++

Notes: This is going to be AU, non-canon stuffs. It will follow bits and pieces of timelines, hacked and spliced together.

For TVD: canon through part of season four; however, when the sire bond is broken, Elena chooses Stefan, so Damon gtfo’s Mystic Falls. No Silas, no Katherine taking over Elena’s body, forget the cure arc, Katherine is still #1 bad bitch (after the Originals, of course). Jeremy didn’t die, Bonnie is still a witch.

As for Arrow: Starts in at Season 3 with Felicity/Oliver angst. Sara did not die. Thea knows of Malcom, did not disappear with him, is part of Team Arrow in a silent partner sense. The Slade shit went down, Roy still has remnants of Mirakuru but is not the psychotic anger timebomb. I’ll update this if I change the timelines or add in details. Hang in there!


	2. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know the basics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is more of a filler chapter, nothing juicy or fantastic, but needed nonetheless. I had a tough time coming up with anything decent. Hopefully the next chapter will be more inspired. I would love suggestions and am still in need of a beta's merciful help. Thanks y'all!

When the doorbell rang two nights later, just as Felicity stepped out of the shower and into a tank top and lounge pants, she was immediately on edge. As she stomped her way to the front door, she began her angry diatribe that raised in volume the closer she got.

 

“Don’t think that you can come waltzing to my door, with a poor excuse and expect me to be ok with what happened earlier! I have had it with your risk taking as of late and not listening when it’s good for you! I’m taking tomorrow off! We are a TEAM! Dammit, Oli-” 

 

That wasn’t Oliver at her door. She choked on her words as she met the curious gaze of her neighbor,  _ Damien, right _ ?

 

“Oli-you’re not who I thought you were,” she finished lamely.

 

“If you’re expecting this person to show up, can I come in and watch the yelling match? You’re scary when you’re angry.” 

 

Felicity blushed bright red from the roots of her hair to her toes. “Oh, I’m sorry, no, no, I wasn’t expecting anyone, I mean, I had a hunch that Oliver might stop by, with excuses, mind you, not an apology, and why am I explaining this? This isn’t anything you need to hear. Hi, what are you doing on my porch this late at night? Or is it morning?” She shifted her weight to her other hip, trying to affect an air of nonchalance. She was sure she just looked like a damp frump in a tizzy.

 

It was then Felicity noticed the bottle of wine held in the hands of the dark shirted, tight jean clad man in front of her, a small smile lifting the corner of his full lips.  _ Wait, did she just check him out again? _

 

“I think you did, yes, and thank you,” he smirked. “I know where to go if I need an ego boost at anytime of day.” 

 

“Oh my God. Just dig a hole and push me in.” Could this neighborly banter get any worse? Not only did she comment on his impressive nakedness the other day, but she had to run her mouth while thinking about his tight jeans tonight.

 

He threw back his head and laughed, smooth skin curving along his corded neck in the light from her porch. “Let me start this over. Ding-dong! Hello, Ms. Smoak, I am Damien, the devilshly handsome young man from next door, we met two days ago during a morning yoga session?” His eyebrows waggled up and down. “I noticed you pulled in half an hour ago, so I knew you would be home at this time of night, forgive my intrusion. I just wanted to bring by a peace offering to show there were no - _ hard _ \- feelings from earlier?” 

 

She should have been offended with his emphasized innuendo, but coupled with that mischievous smirk and the gift of alcohol ( _ hello, red wine, the best _ ) after a night like tonight, Felicity couldn’t stop her own giggles from escaping, turning into a full blown belly laugh. She felt the best she had all day.

 

“Well, guess a girl can’t say no to a bottle of red, can she?” She smiled. She opened the door wider, stepping back to let the handsome man in. He stood waiting, as if seeking permission to enter her home. “Please, come in,” she invited.

 

“Are you sure?” Damien hesitated. “Sounds like I might be interrupting a verbal can of whoopass from being opened on some poor soul.”

 

Felicity rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t expecting anyone, honestly. I thought that someone might stop by to be an ass, but looks like they wised up and let it be. You are my guest now.”

 

With a dip of his head in a short nod of thanks, Damien stepped over the threshold and into Felicity’s home.

 

++++++++++++++++

 

“So, nosey me wants to know why you keep such strange hours.” Damien leaned against her counter in her kitchen, watching as Felicity searched her cupboards. “Do you even sleep?”

 

Felicity barked a laugh, standing on her tip toes to reach a shelf for her glassware. “I don’t get much. I have a regular job that sometimes has odd hours itself, then at night, I guess you can say I have a hobby doing work with computers and programs. Some days I don’t make it home. I wouldn’t change it, though. I love what I do.”

 

“Who’s Oliver?” 

 

Felicity nearly dropped the wineglass she took out of her cupboard.

 

“Oh, that bad, huh?” Damien chuckled at her knee-jerk reaction.

 

“No, uh, Oliver…Oliver is...”

 

“You said his name earlier. I just put two and two together that your previous rant was for this Oliver, and I’m kinda glad I’m not him.” His crooked smile was disarming. This man was dangerously handsome and charming. She couldn’t help her answering smile.

 

“Oliver is...my friend. Who happens to also be my boss. He made a bad call today, and it came close to costing his team- his company some serious trouble.”  _ That was a close. But still mostly true! _

 

“Sounds like it was personal,” Damien mused as he popped the cork. “You two close?”

 

She knew the question sounded innocent, unaccusatory. Still, she couldn’t help going on the defensive.. “Yes. No. Not how you think!” She sighed as Damien filled her glass halfway. “Oliver is the CEO of Queen Consolidated. I am his executive assistant. No, we are not sleeping together!” She scowled, waving her hand around for emphasis. “We have a good interpersonal relationship. Until it’s bad. Being his EA does put me in his immediate circle, which leads to him being on my shit list when things go down.” 

 

“Uh huh…” 

 

“It’s a complicated mess.” She sighed. “I don’t know why I am telling you this. No, things are very, sadly, platonic. Isn’t that a shame? For him, cause, you know, he’s missing out on all this. Wait. Just - forget it.” She drained her glass and held it out for a refill. 

 

Damien twitched an eyebrow, but poured a second glass. Raising his to Felicity’s, he toasted “To not being on your shit list!” Felicity couldn’t agree more as she clinked her glass with his. She lead him into her living room, thinking that standing and staring would be more awkward than sitting and staring. 

 

“Isn’t being a secretary a little insulting for an MIT graduate?” 

 

“How did you-”

 

“Your diploma is hanging on the wall.”

 

“Right.” _ Duh! _  “And it’s not a secretary!” Damien could see that was a sore point. “I graduated MIT. My passion is technology and anything to do with computers. And while it comes in handy from time to time, Oliver needed someone he could trust to be his EA. I’m sure you heard about him missing for 5 years?” At the responding nod, she continued “He went through a lot of shit. Things I don’t know about, some I do.” Her voice quieted. “It’s made it hard for him to find people he can rely on. Yes, I have a degree in IT, but he needed someone he could trust completely he can rely on more.”

 

“Ok, I think I’m getting the big picture now,” the dark haired man nodded. “I’ll keep the jokes to a minimum when it comes to filing paperwork and running for coffee.” That earned him a half amused, half annoyed glare from the petite woman.

 

“Soooo,” the blonde adjusted her glasses on her nose, wanting to get off the subject of Oliver. “Tell me about you, Damien Sylvester. That’s an interesting last name. Like the cat on Looney Tunes.”

 

“Yes it is,” he chuckled. “Gotta love those old family names.” He accepted the offered seat the girl moved to on the other end of her beige couch, crossing an ankle over his knee as he settled in. He took in the simple, yet cheery decor that was her living room.  Dove gray walls accented in white trim gave the room a happy vibe, framed with dark blue curtains over the large window that took up nearly the entire back wall.   A bookshelf stuffed full with magazines, books, and various knick knacks complimented the entryway into the kitchen. Pictures were dispersed in matching frames throughout, while the single couch faced a decorative bench that sat under flat screen tv in the corner. Unremarkable, but nicely done.

 

“What do you do?” 

 

“When?”

 

That earned an eyeroll. “When you’re not scaring the common people with your ‘healthy habits’.”

 

“Oh, come on, I wouldn’t call you common.” His grin was contagious, even though she tried her best to hide hers.

 

“No, seriously. What brought you out here? Do you work? I bet you work out. You could probably get paid to go to the gym with those abs.”

 

“I could be convinced to be your personal trainor.”

 

“I bet you would,” she blushed. “But double seriously. Explain  _ you _ .” 

 

“Not much to say, really,” Damien swirled the remaining liquid in the glass. “Born in North Carolina. Fell into the family business. Got sick of family. Now I’m here.”

 

“That’s anti-climactic. What’s the business?”

 

“It started out as lumber, back in the 1800’s. It was very successful, and turned into investing. Maybe I’m one of those no-good trust fund brats that lives off my ancestor’s hard work.”

 

“Oh, I know the type,” Felicity grimaced. 

 

“Hey, don’t be judgy, Judy,” he leaned forward, “They can’t all be like me.”

 

“I can’t tell if you truly are that conceited, or trying to prove something.”

 

“I write on the side.”

 

“What?” That earned a double-take.

 

“I’m a closet author. I don’t want people to know. It would ruin my reputation.”

 

“Pity that public opinion would be in favor of an elite society snob.”

 

“It would ruin me! People can’t know I have a soul. I don’t, but let the people think I do.”

 

Adjusting her glasses on her nose, she continued. “What do you write? Let me guess, you are a romantic!”

 

He lowered his voice, shifting towards her. “Ever hear of Twilight?”

 

“Oh, shut up! That was by Stephanie Meyers.”  When his expression didn’t change, Felicity’s smile dropped. “You can’t be serious!”

 

“Ok, yeah, I didn’t write that. Vampires that sparkle? Come on.”

 

Felicity reached out and lightly slapped his shoulder. “Honestly!”

 

“I am! Who would take a man seriously if he’s shiney in the sun? You could vouch for that.”

 

“Yeah, it would be ten times more awkward to see you yoga in the sunrise with a glitter dick. Oh, shit. I just -”

 

“So you were looking?” His smile widened. “Felicity, you ARE a naughty girl under that uppity getup.”

 

Felicity drained her last of her wine and groaning, dropped her face in her hands as Damien reached over to take the empty glass.  “Listen,” she mumbled through her fingers, “Can we come to an understanding, that I will say the worst things possible in any situation, and you don’t have to take so much pleasure from it?” She watched as he tried to fight the smile that was threatening to take over his face.  _ That gorgeous, square jawed face. Chiseled from perfection, like another’s I know. _

 

Blowing a breath out, Felicity stood to get the bottle to refill her glass one last time. 

 

“Memoirs.”

 

“What?” 

 

“I go over past journals, and write their memoirs. I find the past to be quite interesting.”

 

Sitting back down, the blonde’s face softened as she listen to Damien describe his task of researching antiquated notebooks, some from his family line.  

 

“It must be so cool to read about family like that,” she mused.

 

“It has its moments,” he stretched out his legs. “What’s your family history like?”

 

Felicity cocked her head to the side, contemplating what to say. “I wouldn’t know. As far as I can tell, I was the result of a one night stand. Growing up, it was just my mom and I. It makes it not so complicated, I guess.”

 

“That could be a blessing. Take for instance, there are records of murder and untimely death in my line. It’s not pretty. Grass is greener and all that, eh?”

 

Felicity agreed. She glanced up at the clock beside the bookshelf, noting how early it was in the morning. Surprising herself, she found she didn’t mind. She had already texted Digg to say she wasn’t coming in tomorrow, along with emailing Susan from personnel to arrange a temp to cover for her. She was enjoying her mini heart-to-heart with the heartthrob from next door. He listened, commented, and perverted her already twisted words, but it was refreshing for her to just banter back and forth. Between the two they finished off the wine, continuing the back and forth over common topics. Felicity remembered covering a yawn or two, but didn’t catch herself when she closed her eyes, listening to the sound of Damien’s voice describing his move to the big city. It was such a nice sound to relax to.

 

+++++++++

 

Damon watched as Felicity started to nod off. He caught a mumble about his voice, then the girl’s breathing evened out as she rested her head on the couch cushion. Smiling while shaking his head, the vampire returned the glasses to the kitchen sink, rinsing and drying them off before filling one with water and returning to the living room to study this strange girl as she slept.  Felicity Smoak was captivating; he normally didn’t go for blondes, but Felicity was beautiful in a way he hadn’t experienced before. The way her face would light up and express every emotion she was feeling as she spoke, the way her cheeks would redden and then flush down her delicate neck, her pulse speeding and slowing as she explained her reasoning on the topic of discussion. And yes, _ her bod was bangin’! _ As if he wasn’t sneaking peeks as her chest heaved as she took deep breaths or the way her hips swayed when she walked. Mostly, he looked forward to hearing whatever she babbled from her mouth, especially when she didn’t mean to let the dirty thoughts slip. 

 

He gently laid her feet out and covered the tired blonde with a throw blanket he was sure was more for decoration than use. Seeing her phone next to her, he quickly input his number with a name that would guarantee a blush and a tirade to fall from those pretty lips. Smirking to himself, he placed the phone next to the glass of water on the end table with a hastily scrawled note he wrote on a napkin and pen he found in the kitchen. Turning the porch light off as he exited her home, he couldn’t wait for the next time he was in Felicity Smoak’s presence. 

  
  
  



	3. Don't Dis Tay-Tay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver appears! A nasty crime is found. Singing and sad relationship confessions happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I busted this out super fast today, take it like a pt. 2 continuation of last chapter. I'll be moving on in the next chapter, there will be more from the Arrow peeps. Thanks guys, y'all tickle my funnybone with your reviews and kudos!

This was new, and not in a good way. Oliver knew he had moments before the SCPD showed up to the crime scene he called in two minutes earlier. Crime scene didn’t quite describe it - more like a  _ massacre _ . It was fresh - maybe half an hour old, at best guess. This was vicious. The victim was left in pieces on the sidewalk, viscera and fluids coating the pavement in a 20 foot radius. It made him gag the deeper he walked in, the smell of _ raw _ and  _ blood _ and  _ meat _ and  _ offal  _ offending his sense of smell. He quickly bagged samples for later testing before carefully backing back out of the alley. Maybe he would make a call to Barry if it was beyond Felicity’s ability to break down any present anomaly.  _ Felicity _ . His stomach clenched. It wasn’t the first, second, or tenth time he thought of her in the past five minutes. The hooded man had located the head of the deceased about ten feet from the torso- throat ripped into bloody ribbons, the remaining once-blue eye a glassy gray, blonde hair matted with its own brain matter. He was used to death, used to the carnage that came with it; hell, he’d caused enough of it on his own in the past few years. But this - this was vile. He couldn’t help the flashing images his mind played, replacing the dead woman’s face with Felicity’s, her angry words echoing in his head from their disagreement two nights ago.  Overwhelming guilt and the need to make sure she was safe consumed him as he scaled the building next to the alley to make his way back to the foundry.

 

She hadn’t come in to the office, and she had slipped in and out of the ‘Arrow Cave’ when he wasn’t there for the past two days. That wasn’t normal for her - she was really pissed at him. He didn’t blame her. That awful night, the patrol took a dangerous turn and Roy had caught three bullets to the left shoulder in a drug-related disagreement between gang factions.. Too close to center mass. Because Oliver didn’t listen to his  team director’s advice to not go swinging in blindly. He had acted without thought, disregarding the advice of the perky blonde who had information at her fingertips that he couldn’t see and almost killed his partner. The following argument back at the dance club basement had been coming, but there was no need for him to blow up at her the way he did when Felicity was doing what she always does - looking out for them. Oliver knew she was right. He just didn’t want to apologize just then as they were packing Roy’s wounds with gauze and stitching the bullet grazes to his torso after digging out the fragments. Their words were heated enough that Digg had stepped between them, telling Oliver in a nice way to  _ “Go cool the fuck down, man!” _ He replaced his gear and took off that night. He knew he was in deep shit with Felicity when there was radio silence on her end for more than 24 hours.

 

Revving the engine on his bike, he made a split second decision and pulled a u-turn in the intersection. He was going to go check on her now. He pressed the earpiece and told Diggle that he was going to check on Felicity. He ignored the  _ “About damn time. You better have one hell of an apology” _ that followed. He gunned the engine to the next exit to leave the city behind.

 

Oliver wasn’t expecting the second blow to his gut that night to hit him as hard as it did. 

++++++

 

“Oh, no, you don’t dis on my Tay-Tay!” The man ran a hand through his hair, cocking a hip to the side while wagging his other finger in the giggling blonde’s face. 

 

“You can’t be serious!” Felicity crowed, trying to keep tears of laughter from spilling over. She watched as Damien strutted - yes, _ strutted _ \- to the phone speaker dock, turning the volume up as he lip synced the next verse while batting his eyelashes and wiggling his hips.

 

_ “My ex-man brought his new girlfriend, she’s like “Oh my god!’ but I’m just gonna shake it! And to the fella over there with hella good hair, won’t you come on over baby, we can shake, shake, shaaaaake. Yeeeaaahh Oooohhh!” _

 

“Stop! Stop, I am going to pee my pants right here!” She grabbed her groin, scooting off the couch to reach the toilet before she really did have an accident. Between the music debate and copious amounts of alcohol that had been imbibed of freely, her bladder didn’t stand a chance at keeping up to its job. She just barely made it.

 

“I’m not cleaning that up if you miss!” Damien hollered down the hall. He sat down on the couch, a laugh escaping him as he closed his eyes. Felicity Smoak, what a wonder she was. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so unburdened, so free to laugh and enjoy the moment.  Even when he confessed his love for Elena, and spent those amazing months being hers, his brother was always there in the shadows of his mind, the past with Katherine a threat looming over their romance in the distance. Maybe it was a self-fulfilled prophecy, the short relationship with Elena Gilbert. He didn’t regret it. He fell for her hard, and loved her intensely for those six months. Damn the sire bond and damn the doppelganger curse. In the end, she chose her destined lover, and he decided to let go.

 

Pushing those sobering thoughts aside, he watched the short petite girl bounce back into the living room, unburdened from her complaint and a flush across her cheeks. He was having honest, no-blood-or-killing  _ fun _ .

 

++++++++++

 

When Felicity woke up on the couch two mornings (ok, maybe more like an afternoon) ago, it was to the memory of spending the evening with her handsome stranger of a neighbor. Even though they had talked and shared a bit of their past, he was still a giant mystery to her. A writer? Really? She believed the trust fund baby bit more. He carried himself with a self-absorbed confidence she had witnessed Oliver slip on like a familiar jacket on occasion. She could also tell he wore it as a front. Working so closely with Oliver for these couple years, she learned to see the big ego that covered them like a safety blanket was just that; a false identity to hide the true self.  Felicity wondered why she wasn’t more concerned that a) she attracted these kinds of men into her life and b) why she wasn’t more worried about it. She would have given it more thought if the hangover headache hadn’t dug itself to sit right behind her eyeballs. Maybe she should have eaten something before enjoying that much alcohol. 

 

She sat up and noticed the water and napkin on the end table. She greedily gulped the water down before seeing the writing on the napkin. Squinting, she made out the message, and smiled to herself.

 

_ Last night I had a great time getting to know you. Since you have the evening off, how about dinner? I hear there’s a wicked chinese takeout not far from here. See you at 7.  _

_ XO -D _

 

_ What a presumputious ass _ . She did like chinese food, though.

 

+++++++

 

Felicity found herself in Damien’s company that night and the following. She begged off the second day from QC, and didn’t feel the least bit of guilt. She really didn’t want to be where Oliver was right now. She snuck in to set her parameters and security protocols on her babies at the foundry when she knew he was slotted for a board meeting, then texted Diggle the information and that they were fending for themselves that night. She had heard from Thea that Roy was all but recovered. Thank God that side effect of the serum still worked.

 

That night, Mr. Bone-Structure-Perfection offered to cook their evening meal in her kitchen, and that man knew how to make a fettuccine alfredo from scratch to die for.  Not that she was a sucker for Italian food.  _ Maybe _ . She just appreciated all food. And wine.

 

After the dishes were washed and set aside to dry, a bottle of vodka appeared and Felicity had turned music on in the living room to accompany their chatting.  Only it turned into several drinks and many, many song debates that had them both pealing in laughter at each other’s charades. She didn’t remember the last time she laughed so hard she just about wet herself. It wasn’t anytime recently. She truly appreciated these two stress-free evenings with her charismatic neighbor.

 

“No more, no more, please,” she begged as she rejoined said neighbor after her hasty bathroom break. “My abs haven’t hurt this bad from laughing since I was a kid.” She turned off the speaker and sat (fell) gracefully on the other end of the couch. Damien had his head resting on the back of the cushion, eyes closed and hands laced over his stomach. 

 

“You are a rare gem, Felicity Smoak,” his voice tinged with an edge of exhaustion reached her. She copied his stance, head back and hands folded, trying to keep a serious face. When his lone eye opened to watch her, eyebrow raised, she let the giggles escape. Soon they settled into a comfortable silence, each with their own thoughts.

 

“I know this is not kosher, but I have to know,” she began, words falling from her lips before she could stop them. “I can’t imagine a guy like you unattached. Am I going to get in trouble from a girlfriend or wife that will show up on my porch?” Her eyes widened when she realized what she asked. “Oh, wow, that’s not personal at all. I mean, you haven’t dug into my romantic life, which there is none, but that was rude of me. I should know better that of course you’re taken, I mean, shit, who wouldn’t want to climb you like a tree? Oh, frak, for the love of - uugghhhh!” She felt her hands being pulled away from her face, and a gentle expression on Damien’s face.

“No, it’s ok, I don’t mind.” He hadn’t let go of her hands. “Remember when I said I moved because of family?” At her nod, he continued. “I haven’t had the best luck in relationships. I have a brother, did I tell you that? I love him, sure - but I really don’t like him right now.” At her confused expression, he exhaled. “One girl, two brothers. Guess who won.” 

 

“Ohhhh, snikes, that’s rough,” Felicity commented in sympathy. “I’m so sorry!”

 

“That’s not the worst part,” Damien grimaced. “It wasn’t the first time it happened, either.”

 

“Well shit, let’s go beat some sense into this MotherEffer!” Felicity cried, trying to stand up and in her haste fell back down. “Brother or no brother, that’s a dirty move. He needs his butt handed to him.” She tried again to get her feet under her, but was held back by strong hands.  _ Strong, pale, defined hands. God, they were so beautiful, what a shame to not use them to their advantage! _

 

“I’m going to ignore that,” smirked said owner of hands. Felicity mentally slapped herself, but kept a poker face. Well, tried to, anyway.  _ Why did she blush so much? She wasn’t some middle school girl with a crush!  …..Right? _

 

“At least you don’t have feelings for someone who swears they do for you too, but keeps you at a distance with mixed signals and a phobia of commitment and then other girls,” she grumbled. “I guess we’re both fucked when it comes to those we care about. Oh, forgive the french.” 

 

Smiling, Damien stood, pulling the short girl up with him.“Listen, it’s getting late, and as much as I have enjoyed our song sparring and interpersonal oversharing, I believe it’s time you get some water in you and call it a night. You have to get up tomorrow, be an adult and job-it for the day.”

 

“Ugh. Yay.”

 

He laughed a genuine, from the belly laugh that set those butterflies dancing in her belly again.   _ Oh, girl, be careful.You don’t want to turn this into something you aren’t made for. _

 

“I have a few things to get done this weekend out of town, but I’ll be back by Monday. What time is lunch?” 

 

“What?”

 

“Your lunch break. When? I want to try out the best burger joint in Starling City, or to see if you’re a dirty rotten liar to new people in town.”

 

That earned a smirk from her own lips. “Oh, it’s going down, son,” she shot back. “I can take a break at 12:30.”

 

“It’s a date, then. I look forward to meeting your triple-stack burger challenge.” He drew her hand in for a brief touching of lips across her knuckles, sending a jolt of warmth to pool into her belly.  _ Oh, he was a scoundrel! _

 

Seeing the dark head of hair disappear through her front door, Felicity closed the door with a bang and fell against it.  _ She was in deep, deep trouble. _

 

++++++++

 

Damon picked up being watched from an outside source halfway through their song debate. He of course acted the ignorant fool. While Felicity was belting out her rendition of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face complete with dance moves, he caught a glimpse of a shadow from the kitchen window from his vantage point in the living room. Someone pulled up on a motorcycle, aiming for Felicity’s house. Well, this was interesting. Jealous lover? Obsessed stalker? Before he could decide to do something about it, the bike revved its engine and took off. Felicity was distracted by almost peeing herself not to hear the tires squeal on their round trip down the road.

  
This was interesting, indeed. Damon decided to do his own investigating. It’s not like he went looking for trouble. Trouble just had a way of getting in his path. He had to teach it a lesson in his own, vampire-fueled way.  He would be back in a day or two, after he slaked his undying thirst. He would be ready to meet this new intrigue head on.


	4. Glitter WHAT?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night at the Lair...with added Damon drama

It was quiet for a Sunday night in the criminal activity side of things in Starling City.  Oliver and Digg had stopped a business robbery, while Roy had broken up a gang fight in the Glades - and that was it. Felicity felt relieved when Oliver called the team to turn back to the foundry for the night. They would go home early.

 

The reveal of the horrific attack had been a terrible pill to swallow for the team. They finally had a moment of peace, after the Hood’s killing list, the Dark Archer and subsequent Glades’ fall, Deathstroke and his created army - it had been comparatively quiet. No drug lords, no suicide squads, no maniac trying to destroy the city from the inside out. Yes, the crime rate still existed; but there hadn’t been a life or death situation for months. Felicity had a feeling that was about to change. 

 

When Oliver described the crime scene he found  earlier that week to the others, she felt like losing her lunch. Then tossing her cookies on top of that for good measure. There was a reason she quite liked being the “brains” behind the missions; it meant she would be in one place with her computer tech babies, doing what she knew best in relative safety. Sure, she went out in the field here and there - a swanky ball here, being kidnapped by the Dollmaker and almost made into a mannequin version of herself, actually jumping (while screaming and crying) from a plane to find Oliver on Lian Yu, only to have landed on a landmine, taking a bullet to the shoulder (yay, a scar! A real one!), and let’s not forget when the whole Slade Wilson debacle where she was bait and kidnapped and shoved a massive needle into the man’s leg all in a split second. Yes, she had had her share of excitement, thank you very much, and was quite happy to keep her butt planted in her favorite orange chair.

 

The samples of gore Oliver brought back hadn’t yielded anything of use, except confirming their victim was female and of AB blood type. Just to be safe, Felicity prepared the remaining bits to be sent to Central City to Dr. Caitlin Snow and resident tech geek Cisco Ramon to take a crack at. This new unknown had them all on their toes. Was it a one-time occurrence? Was this enemy staying? Did they have to prepare for a new threat?  Who, or what, was it? All they could do at this point was wait and see, unfortunately. And try to be extra vigilant in their patrols and for the blonde to monitor data gathered from her crime protocol program code carefully. 

 

The sound of the basement entry door swinging open and the bouncing footsteps that accompanied it brought a smile to Felicity’s lips as she turned towards the youngest Queen.  Thea’s bubbly exuberance was a balm to the tense atmosphere that pervaded the foundry as of late. The young burnette sported a sassy A-line bob and a silk black tank top over a pair of sinfully tight snakeskin leggings. Being the “owner” and managing her brother’s popular nightclub, she looked the part, and did her job well. 

 

Thea had endured more than a regular teenager should in her short life. Losing her father and brother at a young age, getting said lost brother back, being kidnapped by a supervillan hell bent on destroying your city who went on to murder her mother, finding out the secret life of said brother was a vigilante and then you’re not actually his full-blood sister, but the daughter of a different blood-thirsty killer with secret assassin ties? It was a wonder she made it out of bed each morning. Thea took the vow of her brother’s mission during the debacle of Deathstroke and the Mirakuru army, after being blindsided by Slade Wilson with the truth of her origins. She helped with the comings and goings of the team, moving supplies and what-have-you, covering the money trail for miscellaneous odds and ends.Recently, she added “Part-Time Nurse to Idiots” to her resume, learning from Diggle how to sew stitches, insert an IV, how to bandage a certain type of injury the correct way. She was a great asset to the team.

 

“Hey, ‘Lis!” Her nickname for the IT brain was nice, Felicity thought to herself when Thea had started referring to her as such. It made their relationship feel more like family. Even if she did have a crush on Oliver, which would then turn incestuous with the family remark,  _ and why was she thinking about this??? _

 

“Thinking of what?” The willowy girl leaned against the computer desk, hands lightly gripping the edge as she cocked her head at the older girl.

 

“Oh! Just random, intrusive thoughts, same as usual, you know how my brain works.”

 

Thea laughed in agreement. Just then, Oliver’s voice sounded over the comm link attached to Felicity’s headset, pulling her attention from Thea to her computer monitors. That’s why she hadn’t paid attention to her cell that tinged with an incoming text. When she was through answering a detour route question to the returning archer, she turned back to see Thea with a quizzical look on her face, holding Felicity’s phone.

 

“Um, ‘Lis…” she started to question, darting her eyes between the blonde and the phone screen.

 

“What? What’s wrong?” She wondered if she should feel the level of panic that started to wrap around her lungs with an iron grip.

 

“Who’s ‘Glitter Dick’?”

 

“WHAT!”

 

Thea’s mouth turned up in an amused curve, eyes sparkling with mischief and mirth. “You have a text message from someone named ‘Glitter Dick.’ They want to know what you are wearing right now.”

 

“Oh my frickkin’ hell!” Honestly!  _ That freaking, hot, troublesome man next door was bound to start problems, she didn’t need those to cross over into her night activities! _

 

“Ooh, you have a new neighbor!? ‘Lis, don’t keep secrets, you have to spill! What’s with the shiny weiner? Oh my GOD, you got laid, didn’t you!?”

 

A choked sound tore her attention from the girl in front of her to her headpiece. Oh Christ on a cracker, she had left her comm on. That means Digg, Roy, AND Oliver had heard the girls’ interaction just now.  _ Mother. Fucker. _

 

Felicity switched the comm off as she threw the headset onto her desk, then whirled around to the brunette and yanked her phone from Thea’s unresisting grip. Yep, there it was, at the top of the screen - ‘Glitter Dick’ as the contact’s name. 

 

_ Felicity -You are dead to me. _

 

She replied back quickly before facing Thea, who was about to rocket into outer space with her overload of giddiness and excitement for her friend. She groaned to herself. 

 

“This sounds so much worse than it is -” she began, when another text came through.

 

_ Glitter Dick - Don’t be hatin’ on this. I’ll tell you what I’m wearing. I’m in a bath. Wanna see? _

 

_ Felicity - What is wrong with you!!! How did you get my number??? _

 

A minute later, a picture attachment came though. “No! No way am I opening that!” Her eyes were huge and round, disbelief at Damien’s cheekiness written all over her shocked expression. She forgot that Thea had been watching and reading over her shoulder. 

 

“I wanna see!” Her hand shot out and before Felicity could get her cell back, Thea had accepted the sent download. Felicity watched as Thea’s grin grew wider, dreading what she was going to be forced to look at. She was  _ dreading _ , right? A picture of a naked Damien wasn’t  _ that  _ unpleasant to look at, she meant that she’d seen the real thing before, and yeah, maybe that image would forever be burned into her retinas with glee…

 

Sighing, half in frustration of the situation she was now in, half in repressed sexual outlet, she looked down at the picture cradled in Thea’s outstretched hand. Yes, it was a picture of Damien. In a bath. Clothed in jeans and a tshirt, and no water around him whatsoever, a smirk plastered on that gorgeous face of his.  _ That son of a bitch!  _ Felicity let out the breath she was holding. Her blood pressure had gone through the roof three times in as many minutes, this couldn’t be healthy for her poor heart to experience this stress.

 

“Oh my GQ model, where has he been all my life!? ‘Lis, you NEED to introduce us. My God, look at that jaw, those eyes are to die for, and what’s behind the nick name? Have you really gotten down and dirty with his piece of man meat? Why does he make lounging in a bathtub while fully clothed look so hot? ‘Lis? ‘Lis, breathe!” 

 

Thea gently took Felicity’s hands and guided her back down into her chair. Felicity’s bright pink cheeks punctuated her influx of emotions as she breathed slow breaths to calm her racing heart.  _ Thea did have a point, _ she mused - Damien was one hell of a piece of eye candy. She shouldn’t have been so surprised that he was teasing her to the limit. She would get him back, she vowed to herself before turning back to Thea.

 

“Ok, so, Glit- _ Damien  _ is my new neighbor. He moved in about two weeks ago. We have hung out a bit.  _ That’s all! _ ” She finished indignantly at the youngest Queen’s questioning eyebrow. “He researches old journals and is a self-proclaimed trust fund brat. And he’s a really good cook.” 

 

“Who is a good cook?” Felicity bit her lip and closed her eyes. Great, just great. This wasn’t going to be the least bit awkward, oh no.

 

She stood and turned to face Oliver, who was trying for a neutral face of nonchalance, and failing. She could read his face clear as day, she knew Oliver so well by now. Right at this moment, his face was telecasting his annoyance and possessiveness with a small hint of curiosity while making him look like he was trying not to be constipated.  _ Here we go. _

 

“Felicity has a new neighbor!” Thea squealed in delight, clasping her hands in front of her. “Apparently he’s  _ amazing _ .”

 

“Not helping!” Felicity whispered out the corner of her lips to Thea. Thea just grinned back. 

 

Diggle decided to interject on behalf of keeping his partners’ sanity. “Hey, that’s good to hear,” he commented as he unloaded his gun from its holster, checking the chamber for a loaded round. “You’ve been alone on that street for some time. How long has he been there?”

 

“Um, two weeks, I think. He’s from back east. Decided to come here for a change.” Her explanation was answered with a grunt from the brooding archer as he turned to zip off his leather armor.

 

“It’s nice you had a home cooked meal for once, or twice,” Digg continued. “You eat too much take out as it is. And God knows we are never to let you near a stove.”

 

“Hey!” She smacked John in the arm, but didn’t stop the answering smile to match his. “Burning boiled water is an art!”

 

“What’s with the nickname?” _ Ugh, God, Oliver couldn’t drop it, would he? _

 

“It’s an inside joke, what with how we met and all.” That didn’t cause the men’s eyebrows to shoot to their hairlines. “Oh! Oh no, It wasn’t - I happened to walk in on him while he was naked in his yard, then it somehow got twisted into a discussion about Twilight and sparkling in the sun and oh, this sounds so, so bad right now,” she finished lamely. “For the record, I didn’t call him that. As a nickname, or - whatever. It’s not my doing!” She shrugged her shoulders in defeat. What a mess.  _ She was going to kill that smiling hunk o’ trouble, no matter how good he looked in a bath. _

 

“Now a bath is involved!?” Oliver’s eyes looked like they were going to pop right out of his sockets. Right then, Roy joined their group, having parked his motorbike and ready to hang up his weapons and leather.

 

“Hey guys,” he nodded casually as he walked up to his glass display next to Oliver’s. “What did I miss? Who’s ‘Glitter Dick’?”

 

Four groans answered his oblivious question at once.

 

++++++++++++++

 

Damon couldn’t stop his grin from spreading from ear to ear. He was such a bastard. The club’s music thumped and blared, the people undulating under the colored lights as they danced as close as they could get to each other created a living kaleidoscope.  He signaled to the bartender for another refill.

 

He followed Felicity to Queen Consolidated last week, however he noticed no one stayed past 7pm. So where was Felicity, and what was she doing out so late at night? The next day, he followed her from QC to the nightclub, Verdant. She entered from the back alley, in a door that was hidden behind a large dumpster. Huh. Well that wasn’t suspicious. He had glanced around inside, noting that she was nowhere to be seen. Wasn’t this intriguing? Maybe he decided to hang out on the opposing building’s roof, where he had a straight view into the back alley. Maybe he witnessed a couple crusaders, draped in colored leather and medieval weapons, coming to and from said entrance. Maybe he had a hypothesis about his bright, blonde neighbor’s late nights having to do with the Starling City hooded vigilante. He knew that Felicity Smoak would be remarkable from when they first met. But this- this was fantastic! He noted what time she left the building; it was after the crime fighting men returned and about 2am. So, what did she do, he wondered? The Robin Hoods were too tall and muscular for her to be one. Well, he was going to find out.

 

He had told Felicity that we was leaving town for the weekend. No, what he was doing was sitting at the club’s bar, sending text messages and listening to the fallout below the dance floor. He  _ loved _ being a vampire. Earlier that night he compelled a couple of over-eager girls (who were much too young to be in such an establishment) for a quick drink at their throats then sent them home with a suggestion to stay in school and not do drugs. Thanks to his quick bite, his hearing was fantastic - he could concentrate past the blaring music and listen through the wood floors and steel beams, down into the basement where his neighbor directed wannabe heroes from her work station, greeted her girly friend who came down a set of stairs (he had to find those), then come apart at his mischief.  He could picture the flush of red that would flow down her neck, bright eyes behind those glasses wide and staring, her mouth open in incredulity. He swore he could hear the rapid heartbeats as she and - _ Thea, was it? _ argued over the messages and picture he prepared earlier that day and said messenger.  It came to a fantastic crescendo when Oliver - _ huh, how about that? THAT Oliver?  _ and friends returned to the batcave. Wait, he heard the boy in red call it the “Arrow Cave” earlier.  _ ‘Cuz that’s original. _

  
He finished his drink and squared his tab, leaving a hefty tip as he stood. He wouldn’t stop by Felicity’s tonight, but he did have a lunch date with the slip of a girl tomorrow to look forward to. For not the second or third or tenth time, he thought he moved to the right neighborhood for his life to become so entertaining far away from Mystic Falls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their lunch date is next! I'm working on the angle of the bad guy and how Damon is revealed as a vampire next, it's taking me a bit to get to where I like it. Thanks for reading!


	5. I Don't Like you, Dude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awkwardness ensues when Damon is introduced the Oliver and Diggle

Felicity hadn’t debated what to wear that morning for so long that she was almost late to work. She just had to be sure that the yellow summer dress paired with dark blue peep toe pumps said “I’m a woman, hear me roar!” while whispering “I’m a sultry vixen, and don’t you want to know it?” while remaining office appropriate. That took a little time, right? She didn’t  _ obsess _ over it. A little. 

 

The elevator opened half an hour after she arrived at her front desk, emitting a suited Mr. Queen and John Diggle for the day’s business.  She watched from under her lashes as he walked by, a guarded smile in his eyes as he greeted her a good morning. If only she could get over him for good, she mentally sighed to herself. She knew it wasn’t going to happen between them. “It” being a meaningful romantic, sexy-times filled relationship. No matter how many times they were caught in precarious situations, some even life and death, Oliver still kept his distance and heart closed to her. She watched as he burned through Laurel, Helena, Isabel (eww) and even had an on and off again arrangement with Sara. Before she left last night, the tension between was so thick she could cut it with a plastic spoon.

Which was totally, not even a teenesy of a weensey bit fair. They both knew they had feelings for each other, kept dancing and circling around the elephant made of lust and love that filled up the room whenever they were in it together.  Sadly, Felicity realized, ever since the major showdown with Slade and her kidnapping and the “fake” sentiments Oliver paid to her, that the broody bad boy with a mission for his city would never step in her personal circle. That hurt. Like, two bottles of wine then a day of hangovers while cleaning up vomit hurt. Didn’t mean her inner girl didn’t (squeeeeee!) notice when he brushed against her, caught her eye as he scaled the salmon ladder, spoke to her in his quiet manner when all was well.  At least now she knew better, and could take it at face value instead of hidden agenda. So considering all that self-revealed insight maturity and deciding to not hold on to a fantasy, the way Oliver had reacted to the possibility of another male in her life  _ wasn’t fair.  _

 

Rehashing last night’s disaster as she drove to work that morning was a jumble of highs and lows. It went from blush-inducing flirts from a sexy stranger down to a quietly raging Oliver. He was jealous. He had no right! The dual polar emotion she was trapped between while explaining the text over the comms situation left her exhausted. No, it wasn’t fair that Oliver was jealous. They weren’t together. He made that decision, and Felicity finally accepted it. Now, however, that a new guy was on radar for the peppy petite, did not mean it was okay for the jaw-clenching and stiff necked Oliver to be green with envy ( _ harharhar _ ). Knowing the archer as she did, she knew there was going to be a load of shit talking and peacock strutting, like there was with Barry. Barry Allen, better known as the Flash in Central City, also known as life saver to said Grumpy Pants. It took Oliver a while to let that go. The kicker? Barry and Felicity were just friends. Yes, her dating future looked precarious at best. Shit.

 

+++++++

 

Midmorning found said unlucky-in-love lady finalizing the week’s worth of board meetings, business appointments and information for the CEO. Typical Monday for them. She had just buzzed Oliver on the intercom about moving a meeting from Wednesday up an hour earlier per the party’s request, when the elevator chimed and its doors opened. A young man, close to her age, in a delivery uniform stepped forward and headed to Felicity’s desk, a vase of flowers in his hands. Felicity turned to face the newcomer and hung the phone up right as Oliver answered (as if that wouldn’t draw his attention from his office to look at her between the glass partitions). 

 

“Delivery for Miss Smoak, hold the glitter?” the young man asked, causing Felicity’s cheeks to burn scarlet and Diggle, who was standing in the front room doing his intimidating guard thing to turn a chuckle into a poorly disguised cough. “What did you say?” the blonde asked as she eyed the simple display of three gerbera daisies, hot pink, orange, and yellow in a slim white vase. 

 

“It’s what the card says, ma’am,” the deliveryman continued. After signing his clipboard, she took the arrangement and sure enough, a notecard tied in ribbon to the neck of the vase was indeed titled “ _ Miss Smoak _ ” with a line drawn under the name and a note added: “ _ hold the glitter _ ” underneath.  If she mumbled words like  _ bastard _ and  _ that neighbor _ while opening the envelope, Diggle pretended not to hear. He did watch as she read the note, the bright spots of color on her cheeks receding and a small smile to turn up the pretty pink painted lips. 

 

_ I’d say forgive me for last night, but that would imply I am sorry - which I’m not. Better be hungry, I’ll pick you up in an hour. I bet you look gorgeous. -D _

 

She really shouldn’t accept his non-apology. No matter that he had gotten her favorite flowers. And kept it simple, just how she liked it. Damien was good. She unconsciously bit her bottom lip as she stared at the bright petals, indecent thoughts of Damien swirling around in her mind as she lost focus. The sound of Oliver’s door being wretched open brought the space cadet back to earth, placing the card down on her desk next to the flowers. She turned in her chair to meet Oliver’s suspicious gaze.

 

“These are nice,” Mr. Queen tried to convey sincerely, Felicity had to give him a point for that. “Who are they from?” And she just took said point away as the innocent sounding question was all but. She did take pride in herself for not rolling her eyes at her boss.

 

“They’re my favorite,” she may have said to test the boundaries. Yep, there it was, that tick of his jaw when he clenched it. She continued with “I have a lunch date with Mr. Glitter today. You will get to meet him in an hour.” Oh, poor Oliver was trying to convey a cool attitude. His temples throbbed in time with his biting teeth, his ocean-blue eyes boring into hers with earnest. 

 

“I didn’t know it was that serious,” Oliver half stated, half questioned, the same time Diggle said “Good for you, girl.” The two men exchanged an uneasy glance between them, which had Felicity puffing out air as she closed her eyes. After taking a moment, she turned her head towards the dark man in a suit and smiled. “Thanks, John. I’m excited for you to meet him.” Swiveling her ponytail over her shoulder as she turned back towards Oliver, her voice dropping into icy tones as she stated “Does it matter what the status of my relationship is?” Oliver’s jaw dropped open in surprise. Digg’s may have, too, but she didn’t have eyes in the back of her head to see if it did. This was new. She hadn’t ever gone complete ice queen towards Oliver before, and the fact she didn’t deny her courting stance sent the man internally reeling.  Having realized his fists were curled at his side, Oliver took a deep breath as he released his hands, a mask of pleasant cognizance sliding across his features. 

 

“No, it doesn’t,” he replied. “You deserve to be treated well.” With that sentence, he turned and walked back into his office, the familiar cloak of self-loathing pulled around his shoulders as he walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows to look out over the city. Refusing to be drawn into his pit of emotional turmoil, Felicity turned her attention back to her monitor to move the meeting up anyway. A soft sigh was heard from Digg, but neither acknowledged it.

 

++++++

 

Damon entered the elevator and sent a wink to the receptionist as the door closed. He smiled as he heard the older woman dreamily sigh as the elevator began its ascent.  Yes, he was a new visitor, no, he didn’t have a badge, yes, he had an appointment with one Miss Smoak, EA of Mr. Queen, no he didn’t need an escort, but thank you for taking your time, and remember to admit him whenever he stepped foot in the building.  _  As if the woman needed any compelling to do that _ , he thought haughtily.

 

He may have dressed with a bit more care than usual. A plain white tshirt left little to the imagination as it wrapped around his muscular chest, a pair of aviator sunglasses clipped at his neck. A black leather jacket cut his frame into pleasing proportions, dark wash jeans that hugged his ass just right without being too tight, and black lace up boots to finish the bad-but-sexy look. After all, it wasn’t just Felicity he had to leave an impression for; that Oliver Queen was going down, and Damon wanted to make sure he knew it. 

 

The first week in the acquaintance of Felicity was just for fun, the second week drew him in deeper, by the third he knew it was turning into more than a casual interest. Enough so that he stalked her to discover her late night activities, which in turn revealed her secret: aiding the vigilantes of Starling City keep order and crime down. _ Of course she would _ , he told himself. She exuberated her naive view that there was good in the world, and it was worth fighting for. That itself should have been an immediate turn off. It’s not like he was a Prince of Morality around here. It was a point of contention between Elena and him; he didn’t want to experience that again. The fact that he decided to push that shit to the side to entangle himself further in a certain Felicity Smoak should have alarmed him into jumping ship. Instead he found himself tying his hapless ass to the anchor, waiting to drown. He was in deep shit.

 

The elevator dinged its arrival, and Damon squared his shoulders.  _ Show time! _

 

++++++++++

 

Oliver gazed out over the bustling city, watching the numerous vehicles, people, and buildings interact without seeing. He was in a precarious position of his own making, and didn’t want to admit it.  _ He loved her _ . Oh did he love his Felicity. That speech he told to the trembling blonde in his mansion foyer, the one meant to bait Slade, he  _ meant _ it. Then as usual he took it back once the problem was over.  God, he was such a fucking tool. 

 

What was he so afraid of, he asked himself over and over. That he wasn’t good enough. That he was tainted. That she would leave him when she saw his darkness. No matter that despite all that, she was still here, working her ass off to complete the team for his mission. He didn’t deserve her, he knew that down to his toes, but he  _ wanted _ to. He could face a Mirakuru soldier army, his old nemesis in a fatal showdown, but to walk 20 feet and scoop the girl of his dreams up and kiss her was the most terrifying feeling that racked his mind. No, if he couldn’t face his feelings, he wasn’t man enough for her. She would be happy with someone else.  _ Then why did that bother the ever-loving shit out of him!?!?  _

 

That night last week. Then the overheard conversation on the comms. There was another man in Felicity’s life. He wasn’t able to get a good look at him through Felicity’s window, but from what he saw, he was dark haired and not scrawny like Barry. Oliver frowned as he leaned one arm up over his head against the glass. He didn’t miss the catch that this new interest was also her neighbor. This put him too close in proximity for his liking. Then again, any male was too close for his liking. He closed his eyes.  _ What a hypocrite he was.  _ Felicity’s reaction was so foreign, too. She shut his questioning down immediately. This cold shoulder from his favorite girl was awful to feel.  _ He really had to do something, something to- _

 

Oliver’s brooding was interrupted by the sound of the elevator door dinging, then sliding open. Before he could get his fake persona plastered over his face, he heard the giddy greeting Felicity squeaked. He took an extra breath to ready himself against the competition.  _ Game on, Glitter Dickhead. _

 

++++++++++

 

Damon first noticed the wide grin and bubbly greeting Felicity sent his way, perched on her office chair behind her desk, with the vase of flowers he sent just to her right. His answering “Hi, gorgeous,” as he sauntered across the lobby towards her was met with a cough from his left - where a tall man with biceps to spare was squeezed into a suit, his dark skin adding more to his hard stare at the newcomer.  Remembering that they were at her work, Felicity fought the small blush that dotted her cheeks and stood up from her desk, grabbing her purse as she pushed her chair in.  _ She really needed Diggle to catch her eye fucking her date in the middle of QC. _

 

“What was that?” Diggle’s eyebrows rose in question. 

 

“I- I just - neveryoumind!” She half whispered in Digg’s direction. “Damien! Welcome to my job space. Ok, let’s go.” She reached out to grab his arm, but Diggle beat her to their guest, holding out one of his massive hands not so much in greeting, as it was in intimidation. Damon noticed the way the man squared his shoulders and drew himself up to his full height. He had a few inches on him, and more muscle mass. Impressive. 

 

“So you are the guy that we’ve been told to mind our own business about?” Diggle said with a straight face. “Name’s John Diggle. Head of security and bodyguard to Mr. Queen- and Miss Smoak, should the need arise.” Damon heard that threat loud and clear, and when he extended his own hand to the taller man’s grip, was not surprised by the strong squeeze that accompanied the brief shake. So he smiled in response.

 

“Good to meet you, Mr. Diggle! Felicity has told me about you. She tells me you are one of her closest co-workers. I am Damien Sylvester, neighbor of this lovely lady and hopefully, a great lunch date.” He sent a wink to the blushing girl, who he swore swooned just a little. 

 

“Sylvester, huh? Any connection to Rambo or Rocky?” Digg was testing the waters.

 

“That would make me a psychotic killer with incredible strength. Would you approve?” Damon shot back. That earned a grudging quirk of the lips from the bodyguard.

 

As soon as their brief handshake exchange ended, a throat cleared to the right of the present company. Damon turned his attention to the second man in a suit, also tailored to show off his muscular shoulders and narrow waist.  _ So this must be Oliver _ . A facade covered the man’s face, implying immaculate manners, but Damon could see the menacing glare just under the surface. The dimples couldn’t quite hide the threat that the sandy haired, excellent bone structured face conveyed to the outsider. Damn, he was taller than Damon by like an inch or two, too. Oh well. Damon had his advantages elsewhere. Like going on a date with Felicity in the first place ( _ oh, snap! _ ).

 

Oliver took a step forward, hand outstretched in false welcome. “Hello, you must be Felicity’s new neighbor, Damien, right? She’s mentioned you moved in a couple weeks ago. I am Oliver Queen, CEO and friend.” Damon had no trouble translating that testosterone laden sentence:  _ you are a threat, I have money and power and Felicity belongs to me, you bitch.  _ Damon met the second hand offered to him, and let the man squeeze as hard as he wanted. 

 

“Nice grip, champ,” he answered to Oliver’s grasp. He took it further by pretending to shake the pain out of his hand as he drew it back. “You must work out.” This earned a barely disguised scowl from Oliver, and a flash of warning in Felicity’s eyes to her boss. 

 

“One always needs a hobby,” Oliver quipped back, insincerely. Wanting to continue his (mature) verbal assault, he said “Why does Felicity call you a dick?” The answering smirk wasn’t what Oliver was aiming for.

“Why, Felicity, sharing so much information already? Didn’t know you took such a  _ shine _ to it.” Damon aimed the barb to the now furiously red-faced girl. Huh. That did not go how Oliver planned.  Fucking hell. 

 

Felicity took this opportunity to push between the two cock fighters, twining her arm around Damon’s. 

 

“Well! You have met my coworkers, and they have met you. I’m starved, let’s go!” She none too gently yanked on Damon’s arm to lead him to the elevator. “Be back in a bit!” Damon let her drag him towards the double doors, turning back to flash the two men a smirk. 

 

“She’s an eager one, isn’t she?” Oh yes, that hit the mark as both men kept straight faces, but their fists curled at their sides.  _ Point for Damon! _ Felicity just rolled her eyes as she punched the ground parking floor button. “You have a meeting with a new investor in half hour!” she called before the doors closed.  Four breaths were released when the doors shut, some in relief, some in agitation, and one in smug amusement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to make this longer, but then decided to post this half and then continue with the date in another chapter so y'all get to read a bit more. Love your kudos and reviews! Of course there will be some bow chicka bow wow when the time comes ;)


	6. Status Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch date. More people, more problems, oh my!

Felicity wasn’t nervous. It’s not like she and Damien hadn’t eaten together before. Maybe she was still fighting off the adrenaline from the glare n’ stare back at QC. Besides, she practically lived at Big Belly Burger, the employees knew her by name and order every time she step foot inside. The thought that this was an actual, going-out-in-the-world-and-not-at-home-in-pjs kind of thing shouldn’t be getting to her...she was going out on a simple lunch date, for heaven’s sake. _With six feet of tall, dark, and omg that killer smirk of handsome she wanted to lick_ , her inner voice whispered.  Felicity knew that Oliver and Digg would grandstand and try to intimidate, and she guessed Damien could hold his own, but she was pleasantly surprised with how easily he took their threats and laughed it off.  Barry had openly admitted that he was scared of her boys the few interactions they had before his particle accelerator incident with Star Labs. Somehow, she knew that Damien was more than a match against her overprotective teammates.

 

They took Damien’s car, a sleek 1969 Chevy Camaro convertible. It fit him very well, she mused as he opened her door. He commented that her dark blue heels matched his car color perfectly as they pulled out of the underground parking and headed towards the corner fast food joint. That earned him a point for noticing, and she felt validated for having spent so much time on which shoes to wear today.

 

They arrived five minutes later, Damien opening the doors and following her into the red and yellow cheery interior.  Sliding into her favorite booth towards the back, Damien followed suit and smiled at the waitress in her late 40’s who came to take their order.

 

“Hi, Felicity, who is this young man you brought today? Don’t think I’ve ever seen him before,” she winked at the blonde.

 

“He’s, uh, he’s my- Damien,” she floundered, paused, then closed her eyes at what she said. _Her Damien!? Really??_

 

Jumping in without hesitating, Damien agreed. “Yep! I’m her Damien. Nice to meet you….Tammy.” He flashed his incredibly white teeth after reading the waitress’ name tag, and Felicity swore Tammy swooned a little. She was both grateful and a little annoyed at her date.

 

“Oh!” Tammy caught herself in her dreamy stare and flushed crimson. Gathering herself, she straightened and took out her notepad. “Now that you’re settled, can I get you your usual, and for Damien…?” She looked at him expectantly. Damon turned his eyes back to Felicity and shrugged. “I’ve never been here before. Felicity says it’s the best of the best, so I’ll take her word for it.” Giving Tammy one of his winning smirks, he added “Surprise me.”

 

A dazed and flustered Tammy left to go back to the kitchen and Felicity gave Damien her incredulous face. “I swear you do that on purpose,” she groused, trying not to sound so surly. All it did was make Damien laugh. She loved it when he did.

 

“Listen, I can’t help it if the ladies are charmed by this mouth,” he pointed to his grin. “You don’t seem to mind much.”

 

“Just don’t go around charming everything on two legs,” Felicity answered with a half-amused, half-embarrassed smile. That sentence held a sore spot for her. Damien took the opportunity of the blonde’s flustered state and gently reached out his hand to close around hers across the table, pulling it back oh-so-close to his lips, watching as Felicity’s eyes widened then slightly darkened as he laid a gentle kiss across her open palm.

 

“This mouth is only interested in charming you, sweetheart.” Felicity’s sweet heart was racing, beating against her ribcage like a trapped bird. Did she mention that this dark haired god was good? He was _good_.  She unconsciously pressed her thighs together, warmth pooling in her belly. She gazed into his eyes, such clear, ice blue eyes. Not a haunted, tortured blue, like Oliver’s.  She was falling, and fast. But should she? How well did she know Damien Sylvester? Why did that not bother her?

 

She was saved from more self existential crisis examination with the delivery of their food.  Happy to shove those thoughts away for the moment, she popped a french fry in her mouth, savoring the saltiness, and hummed in appreciation as she unwrapped her burger, carefully picking out two pickle slices and placing them on a napkin to the side.

 

“You don’t like pickles?” Damien cried in mock outrage, “What’s wrong with you?” He popped them in his mouth while giving her a hollow glare. That earned an eyeroll as Felicity look the biggest bite she could manage in an exaggerated show of disinterest.  Damien imitated her and moaned in appreciation while trying to swallow a mouthful of double cheeseburger. “Ok, I guess I can forgive you for the pickles,” he conscented after washing the bite down with his drink. He ignored the whispered “Ha!” while cataloging the cute expression from the girl for later.

 

They ate in companionable silence, trading small grunts of appreciation from the greasy food here and there. Finished, Damien sat back in the booth, patting his stomach in content. “Now that,” he nodded towards his empty food basket, “was a good burger. You win this round.” Felicity smiled as she drained her drink, the straw sucking the last liquid from her cup in a loud vacuum. She mirrored Damien, relaxing back into the red vinyl booth. She didn’t realize she was staring at him until he cleared his throat softly, then cocked his head with a small backward nod in the dining area.

 

“That a friend of yours?” He spoke quietly. “He walked in after us. I can feel his eyes burning a hole into my head from here.” With a start, Felicity followed the direction of his nod and-

 

“Roy!?”

 

At her high pitched inquest, a figure in a red hoodie (who was trying to be small and unnoticeable) a few tables back flinched, then sighed. He smoothed his hood off his short brown hair and stood to join the couple he was keeping tabs on, standing on Felicity’s side of the table. Damien got an instant feeling of deja vu in the form of Matt, Tyler, and Baby Gilbert back home. This boy was maybe in his early twenties, a square jaw and serious eyes on top of a well developed frame. What was it with these young boys popping up wherever he went, always in the way? It was all he could do not to bare his pointy teeth at the kid.

 

Felicity narrowed her eyes at the young man, biting her lower lip while her brain ran through hypothetical theories for his appearance, alone, in the middle of the day. That wasn’t his usual style. Arriving at her decision, she scowled.

 

“Roy William Harper, are you seriously _spying_ on us!?” The boy cringed as Felicity’s voice rang out loud and sharp. Well that was spot on, then.

 

Eyes darting from Felicity to the new person across from her, he wet his lips nervously before coming clean. “Hey, Felicity,” he paused, then gave up any false pretense. “I was told to keep an eye on you.” _And him_ , which was unspoken, but nevertheless heard.

 

This caused Felicity to bristle, jaw set in annoyance, before turning back to Damien. Plastering an insincere smile while gritting her teeth, she introduced the two men. “Damien, this is Roy. He works at Verdant, a dance club that Oliver and his sister run. So he usually isn’t up at this time of day,” she added in a whispered growl. Roy had the sense to look abashed at her scolding.

 

Damien took this opportunity to address the embarrassed young man in front of him. “Roy, is it?” When the red clad figure nodded at him, he continued. “Well hi, Roy, I am Damien. I am not going to be eating Felicity on our lunch date...today.” His eyes flashed towards Felicity while lifting an eyebrow ever so slightly. She translated his underlying dirty meaning and her breath caught in her throat. She tried covering it with a delicate cough that came out more like a strangled choke. Felicity dropped her face in her hands, half in disbelief at being spied on at a lunch date in the middle of the day and half in trying to hide her sudden flush of excited hormones racing in her blood from Damien’s naughty double entendre.

 

“Look, he just wanted to make sure you were ok,” the boy offered weakly. “You know how he is.”

 

Damien took the moment to turn towards Roy and looked him directly in the eye. “Roy, everything is fine. There is nothing to report. Go back and rest up for your night job.” Roy stood there for a second, his expression blank for a moment before blinking and shaking his head. He dipped his head in understanding and took a step back.

 

“Well, you guys seem to be doing just fine. I’m gonna go hit the hay before I’m needed later.” With a feeble smile, he walked towards the exit at the front of the restaurant.

 

“This isn’t awkward,” Felicity mumbled from between her hands a few moments after Roy left.

 

“Did Oliver send him to check up on you?”

 

She was wishing she were elsewhere, preferably beating a certain childish ‘friend’ of hers over the head with a club. Taking her silence as affirmation, he smiled. Why was he smiling?

 

“Why are you smiling? First the office, and now Roy. This couldn’t be anything but the most embarrassing way for you to meet the people in my life.”

 

“I’ve had worse, trust me.” Felicity didn’t know whether she could believe that. She started to apologize on behalf of Oliver, but Damien stopped her.

 

“You know, it’s kind of flattering,” he smirked. “Mr. Queen mayhap be a tad jealous.” He slung his arm around the back of the booth, the picture of smug confidence. _My God, how did he do that?_ She was sure he would be upset. _She was_! Instead, he rolled with the punches and looked down to the quick of the matter. Sighing, Felicity decided she could drop it, too.

 

“Can we just...forget that happened? I want to forget that happened.”

 

“Is he usually like this?” Damien wasn’t forgetting it fast enough.

 

How could she explain what Oliver was? How could she explain the past two years of her life revolved around him, every hour of the day? That Oliver had a vengance, had taken down corrupt members of the city in cold blood, lost his family to the evil that permeated the streets, and spent the days and nights fighting for it? That under the hood and mask he wore, there was a noble and true character. That she loved him, and had been rejected time and time again, a tiny spark of hope poisoning her that one day he would get his head out of his ass and take her on the floor of the training mats, declaring his undying affection and everlasting love? When was she going to let that go? She was chewing on her tongue, trying to come up with an answer that wasn’t a complete lie when her hands were enveloped in his large, pale ones.

 

“He- Oliver is complicated. I don’t know why he suddenly is in my business, he wasn’t in my business enough before...”

 

“Before me?” Damien suggested. Felicity could only nod.

 

Giving her a serious expression, Damien leaned forward, shortening the space between them.

“Would you like me to back off?”

 

She met his eyes at his sincere question. Although he was keeping a straight face, a hint of uncertainty bled through.  She hadn’t seen his vulnerable side before. It made her realise how sincere his intentions toward her were. He was into her, no wishy-washing of emotions and actions.  “I get it. I am…” he trailed off, before finding his words. “I am also leaving baggage from my last relationship in my wake. So I understand if this is too much.”

 

She felt her chest constrict, and braced herself for stepping off the ledge. “No.” It was one word, two letters that meant everything. “I’d like you to ‘back on.’ We’ll take this slow.” A genuine smile spread from one face to the other, their hands tightening in unison.  

 

“I was hoping you’d say that,” his words were laced with relief.

 

Looking deep into her blue eyes, Damien whispered, “Don’t think of Oliver. You won’t let him come between us.” She gazed back, turning what he said about Oliver in her mind. That was odd phrasing.

 

“I won’t think of him.” She confirmed. “Other than what I have to, for my job, and between our friends and such,” she added. She caught his slight bewildered expression that flitted so fast over his handsome features, she wondered if it had been there at all.  She continued to assure him. “I’d like to give this-” she nodded between the two of them, “a chance.” A crooked smile graced his perfect lips as he kissed her hands. Yeah, she was so ready for this.

 

Fate, the stars, and the planets aligned right at that moment to throw a wrench in her hopes, as usual.

 

++++++++

 

They left Big Belly Burger, hands entwined, secret smiles on their lips. Felicity felt giddy- like she could jump and dance and sing and...weightless. She had no idea that being willing to shelve her feelings for Oliver would result in such _relief_. Of course, it helped to have a drop dead sexy hunk ready to pursue a relationship with her. She glanced at Damien from beneath her lashes as they neared his convertible, admiring his strong profile and the way his bangs fell forward on his brow. She wondered what it would feel like to lace her fingers through his hair, to grasp his neck and lose herself to that wicked mouth. Her heartbeat sped up at the picture her mind was conjuring, her breath coming in faster bursts. Could he tell she thought he was sex on a stick, and she wanted to get in on that?

 

Just as Damien leaned in to open her door, closing the space between them to a dangerously shrinking distance,  she tilted her head up to give him a perfect angle to meet her lips- someone called her name. _Oh what the fuck!_ She heard Damien’s sigh in quiet agreement. She cursed the stars, planets, gods, and meddling leprechauns, if they existed, and turned towards the voice.

 

Walking up from the sidewalk on the corner of the fast food joint came a blonde woman, wearing a familiar studded leather jacket, dark jeans and knee high boots.

 

“Sara!” Felicity cried in surprise for the second time that hour, but this time in joy at their intruder. She let go of Damien to rush towards the leggy woman, wrapping her arms around her in a crushing hug. The two girls laughed and enjoyed another hug before letting go of each other. “This is awesome! When did you get back in town? Did you come alone? Have you told ‘family’ yet?”

 

Sara Lance tossed her shoulder length locks over her shoulder and gave Felicity her trademark grin. “It’s great to see you too, Cutie. I just got in last night, I let Laurel and my Dad know. I’ll be seeing everyone tonight.” Before she continued, though, she narrowed her eyes over her friend’s shoulder to note the dark stranger leaning against his vehicle, watching the exchange in deep scrutiny. One eyebrow arched as she asked, “Who’s this handsome devil?”

 

Felicity was too excited at seeing her friend again after many months that she didn’t take the time to blush and plowed straight ahead. “Sara, this is Damien, Damien Sylvester. He moved in the house next to me, and well, we’re seeing each other. Just decided. Haven’t told anyone,” she added the slight warning, knowing her friend would pick up that she meant to keep it on the DL for now. She stepped to the side, inviting Damien to join her, lightly winding her arm around his as he came forward.

 

“This is a day full of new friends,” he said, maybe with a small hint of sarcasm. He wondered briefly how many more people in Felicity’s circle he was going to be subjected to in one day. _If it was like this for just a small lunch hour…!_

 

“Sara Lance. Friend of Felicity’s, more like a sister to me.” Sara extended her delicate hand towards Damien, and he took it. At once Sara’s pupils blew wide, a brief expression of shock crossing over both the new acquaintances’ faces in a split second. The look was then set to neutral on Damien, who proceeded to smirk, and Sara schooled her face into one that screamed “I’m watching you!” while a fake smile graced her small pink lips. They dropped their hands in haste, trying to act like nothing happened. Felicity watched the exchange with a question on her lips, but wasn’t able to think on it further as Sara pulled her into another tight hug.

 

“I’m so glad I ran into you,” she murmured into her friend’s double pierced ear, while throwing daggers at Damien with a glare over Felicity’s shoulder. If his smirk widened to flash a bit of teeth at the dangerous woman, well, that was an accident. “Let’s get together soon, yeah?”

 

“Real soon,” agreed the happy girl, knowing that she would see her at the foundry in a few hours. Stepping back from the couple, Sara gave Damien one last glance before exchanging her insincere pleasantries of meeting him. With one more quirk of her lips, Sara bade Felicity goodbye and watched as the new threat on her radar gently guided his date into his car, then turned the engine over with one last look in her direction. The slight nod in her direction affirmed that he read the small card she slipped towards him while hugging Felicity. She knew there was trouble back in her home; she just didn’t expect to run headlong into it as soon as she stepped foot back in Starling. To see this trouble so close to her friend, though; that sent an icy chill up her spine as she realized who... _what_ Felicity was too close to. Did the petite girl know? She doubted it. She was going to end this as soon as possible.

 

++++++++

 

Riding up the elevator in return to her office, Felicity felt as though she would float right through the ceiling and wouldn’t have cared if she did. After a quiet goodbye with a quick kiss to Damien’s cheek, she was practically vibrating in excitement at this unexpected, but wholly welcome turn in her so-far forlorn existence. She took some deep breaths, like the ones they taught in yoga class, to center herself and not act like a seventh grader caught in a crush when she returned to her day job. Convinced she had herself under control, she met the ding of the elevator cab with her head held high and stepped through the double doors as they opened. And ran smack dab into a brick wall made of muscled goodness and smelling of warm cologne and-

 

“Oliver!” She stumbled a bit as his arms shot out to steady her, she reaching up to fix her glasses on her nose as they slipped from the surprise jostle. He met her eyes with a concerned gaze, asking if she was okay. When she confirmed that she was, she noted he still had his hands around her arms. Trying to look smooth while stepping out of his embrace and twirling towards her desk, she asked how the meeting with the potential new investor went.

 

“It went really well, actually,” he followed her to her station. “I think it would be a great step forward to add MINC to our ranks. We have another meeting set up with our lawyers to go over the details in a month.”

 

“Mink? That’s different,” Felicity remarked while wrinkling her nose at the name, settling back into her chair and stowing her purse in her desk drawer. When she looked up, Oliver was standing closer than he was a second ago. _What was he doing?_

 

“Listen, the meeting went long and I ended up skipping lunch. Would you like to grab a quick bite before we team up tonight?”

 

Ok, what the frak in the fricking fraggle...? _Was Oliver actually asking her out?_

 

“You make it seem like it’s a bad thing,” he tried to joke, but then his smile fell into a serious line at her wide eyed expression. “It’s just dinner, ‘Lis. Nothing you don’t want it to be-”

  
“Sure,” she rushed out before her brain caught up with her mouth. _Oh, Luke, Peter, John and Steve Jobs, what did she just do…?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh snap! What's a girl to do? What's with Sara? Why wasn't Damon naked in this chapter? 
> 
> Speaking of naked; I would love to write in some sexy times as the story goes. Only problem I have with that is - I have no idea how to write it. When I get to that point, I will beg for help so I don't write it like two 16 year olds fumbling in their parent's basement. Please keep that in mind!
> 
> 'Til then ;)


End file.
